EuroLeague players react to the competition’s plan to resume the season
Some of the top EuroLeague players expressed their disagreement with the competition’s plan to resume the season.
The EuroLeague will make a decision by May 24 and if the season resumes, then games will be played in July (4-26).
Fenerbahce guard, Nando De Colo, talked to Radio Marca about the league’s decision to resume play in July. However, the French star was not in favor of such development.
“We have been unemployed for a month and a half and I see it very difficult to play again.
For me, the best thing would be to stop now and prepare better for next season because the most important thing is health,” De Colo said.
For his part, Aaron Jackson of Maccabi Tel-Aviv took to Twitter and expressed his disagreement with the possibility of the competition resuming the season in July.
“This doesn’t even make sense… you know how hard this is..Playing basketball in July is far from being American,” Jackson tweeted.
At the same time, Mike James didn’t like the decision either, also mentioning that the Euroleague cannot guarantee players’ salaries but wants them to play.
“How can u make me finish the season but not guarantee the salary that doesn’t make sense to me. I’m confused.
And how can u extend my contract another month and lower my total salary. This whole thing sounds like y’all trying to save YALL money,” the star of CSKA Moscow wrote on Twitter.
Regarding the players’ salaries, the EuroLeague released an official statement on Thursday:
“If the health and safety conditions necessary for all participants exist, the 2019-20 EuroLeague season will resume. If this is then completed:
– Player contracts for the 2019-20 season are extended until 31 July 2020
85% of player base salaries for the 2019-20 season will be paid by clubs, no later than 15 August 2020
If the 2019-20 EuroLeague season is canceled and not completed:
– Player contracts for the 2019-20 EuroLeague season are considered finished
– for multi-season player contracts, obligations for clubs and players will resume as of 1 July 2020
– 80% of player base salaries for the 2019-20 season will be paid by clubs no later than 15 August 2020″